Navajo Nation Continues Efforts to Bring Home Members Targeted by Fraudulent Sober-Living Homes

By ITC.

The Navajo Nation is continuing its efforts to locate and help tribal members who were victimized by fraudulent sober living homes in Arizona that specifically targeted Indigenous communities.

Vulnerable tribal members were lured with false promises of treatment for substance abuse. Instead of receiving the care they were promised, they were caught in a scam that defrauded Arizona’s Medicaid program of nearly $3 billion.

Thousands were left struggling with untreated addiction and stranded far from home, many on the streets, while their families were unaware of their whereabouts.

In response, the Navajo Nation launched Operation Rainbow Bridge, an initiative to help bring home the estimated 5,000 to 7,000 tribal members affected by the fraud.

Lt. Robert Williams of the Navajo Police Department says this is part of an ongoing effort to locate relatives and loved ones who remain stranded in the Phoenix area.

“When I talk about our relatives and loved ones, I'm not just talking about Diné people. I'm talking about any Native relative we might have down there in that area,” Williams said. “During Operation Rainbow Bridge, we did encounter members of other nations. We encountered some folks from the Cherokee Nation, and some other nations farther back east. So, that effort continues, to provide resources for those family members and loved ones, who want to get home out of that situation.”

Despite a crackdown on fraudulent operations, Williams said authorities are still investigating reports that some facilities continue to operate and target tribal members.

“I think we'd be naive to say we stopped it because it 's driven by money,” Williams said. “There are greedy people who want money and … a lot of the cause of criminality is that greed. So, we have to remain ever-vigilant to protect those who may be having trouble protecting themselves maybe due to addictions, alcohol or drug addictions. They might not be able to help themselves at that moment in time when these people contact them.”

Williams said efforts will continue.

“We will … keep our eyes and ears out and we ask the public to do the same,” Williams said. “Let's look for people who are unscrupulous and are willing to take advantage of those people who are just ravaged by addiction.”

Arizona lawmakers this year failed to pass legislation to tighten regulations governing these facilities. They are expected to consider new legislation in 2025.

This story was originally aired by KSUT Tribal Radio, and is reprinted here with permission.